Social Studies

This course is a combination of geography, history, civics, government, and economics to meet the Pennsylvania fourth grade social studies standards. Major units include map skills and Pennsylvania.

Civics and Government

Interpret key ideas about government found in significant documents
Explain why individuals become involved in leadership and public service
Describe how the elected representative bodies function in making local, state, and national laws
Describe the primary duties of elected local, state, and national positions
Describe the difference between nation and country

Economics

Explain how limited resources and unlimited wants cause scarcity
Demonstrate the use of human and capital resources in the production of a specific good
Explain how people’s choices have different economic consequences
Describe various economic systems

Geography

Describe how common geographic tools are used to organize and interpret information about people, places, and environment
Identify the human characteristics of places and regions using the following criteria:

Population

Culture

Settlement

Economic activities

Political activities

History

Identify and explain the influences of economic features on continuity and change over time
Compare and contrast common characteristics of the social, political, cultural, and economic groups from Pennsylvania
Differentiate how continuity and change in Pennsylvania history are formed and operate.

Belief systems and religions

Commerce and industry

Technology

Politics and government

Physical and human geography

Social organizations

Differentiate how continuity and change in U.S. history are formed and operate.